Moon rises to occasion

Jeffri Chadiha, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

Published 4:00 am, Friday, October 24, 1997

ALAMEDA - Sooner or later, the old man was going to make a difference.

The Seahawks anticipated that when they signed Warren Moon as a backup quarterback in the offseason. He'll be 41 years old in November. He is proud. And by all apparent signs, the man is still quite capable of effectively leading a team.

That's what Moon has been doing for the Seahawks since taking over for injured starter John Friesz midway through the team's season-opening loss to the New York Jets. He's taken a seat in a familiar place, the spot where he's fully aware of what it takes to make others follow him.

"He's got great leadership ability," said Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson, whose team hosts the Raiders on Sunday. "He does it not only off the field but on it. He's great in the locker room and he understands what's going on. Obviously, he's 40 years old, and the players respect him because he's still playing and playing effectively. When you have somebody who's won and been around, the players are looking for leadership in that direction."

Erickson must be grateful for Moon. The Seahawks started 0-2, losing by a combined margin of 76-17, and the skeptics were already measuring his neck size for their nooses. When Friesz broke his right thumb in that Jets loss, Erickson turned to Moon, who was easily the league's best second option.

Moon couldn't stifle a 41-3 Jets onslaught, nor could he beat the Denver Broncos a week later. But life in Seattle has changed since that point. The Seahawks have won four of their last five. They're hot.

Moon has completed 64 percent of his passes over the last five games. He's also provided his teammates with a structure for success. He's prodded players like star wide receiver Joey Galloway. He's grimaced after taking a big hit, then hustled to the sideline because his teammates can't see their leader down. Moon has walked and talked it, supplying cohesiveness to a team that made several offseason moves.

"Whenever you bring in a lot of new players, chemistry and continuity have a lot to do with any team sport," Moon said. "Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to have guys get together. Some guys do it quicker than others. That was one of the problems we had coming into the season, especially on defense. The offense was the same way. Then your starting quarterback goes down, and all of a sudden you're changing to a new quarterback, so that takes a little while for guys to get used to my playing style."

When Moon's career ends, Seattle is the place he wants it to happen. There's a symbolic, full-circle path to his life that makes this time, these moments, even more enjoyable. He's back in the city where more than 20 years ago, he arrived as a black quarterback initially scorned by many, but one who eventually led the Washington Huskies to a Rose Bowl win in 1977.

Moon's skin color was an issue back then and a major reason why he spent his first six seasons of professional football in Canada. Moon thrived there as well. He guided the Edmonton Eskimos to five Grey Cup championships.

Since joining the NFL with the Houston Oilers in 1984, Moon hasn't had much trouble winning. He helped resurrect the Oilers, leading them to seven straight playoff appearances from 1987-93, and also took the Minnesota Vikings to two playoff appearances in three seasons before signing a free-agent deal with Seattle.

That success - combined with his 43,787 passing yards and 254 touchdown passes - bring into question Moon's place in history. He has the numbers for Hall of Fame status. What he doesn't have is a Super Bowl appearance. His CFL time also could be considered a negative.

"I wonder sometimes if I had played three more years in this league, and how it would have helped my chances (for the Hall of Fame)," Moon said. "It isn't something that's important to me. I think it's something that would be the highest honor I could achieve in sports, but it's not something that I had as a goal coming into this game. The Hall of Fame is something that comes along if your career is productive enough and you've been successful enough. I think I've been productive and successful so I'll probably be considered for it."

For now, there is work to be done in Seattle with a team expected to be much improved this season. Moon is the man of the moment, and possibly the future, depending on what Erickson does when Friesz returns in two weeks.

The coach, however, doesn't fret about that question today. He has a leader who has sold everybody on two things: what it takes to win, and how to go about doing it.